Largest attack on Moscow sees Ukraine fire hundreds of drones, mayor says

In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict, Ukraine launched what officials described as the largest-ever drone assault on the Russian capital, deploying hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles in an overnight barrage that struck critical energy infrastructure and residential areas. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that approximately 450 drones were intercepted while targeting the capital, though several managed to penetrate air defenses, causing significant damage to a major oil refinery and a residential building. The regional governor reported that at least two people were killed and 20 others, including children, were injured during the strikes. This massive aerial operation coincided with the final day of Russia's tightly controlled parliamentary elections, leading Kremlin officials to characterize the attack as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the democratic process. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky defended the operation, stating that the strikes targeted key facilities that sustain Russia's war machine, including oil refineries and logistics hubs. While Russian authorities claimed to have intercepted over 1,100 drones across the country, the presence of debris resembling advanced missile systems, such as the domestically produced Flamingo, has sparked speculation regarding the evolving sophistication of Ukraine's long-range strike capabilities. The attack represents a significant shift in the tactical landscape, as Kyiv increasingly focuses on degrading the economic and logistical foundations of the Russian military effort. As the dust settles, the human toll continues to rise, with reports of casualties on both sides of the border following a weekend of intense reciprocal strikes. The incident underscores the deepening vulnerability of the Russian heartland to asymmetric warfare, even as Moscow continues its own campaign of missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian population centers and infrastructure.